CHAPTER XIII.
INCURSIONS.
AND what were the sultan and the Saracens saying and doing while theCrusaders were establishing themselves at Damietta, and delighting theirsouls with visions of the conquest of Egypt?
In order to ascertain we must, in imagination, pass from the camp atDamietta to the palace of Cairo.
Melikul Salih was under the influence of a malady which his physicianspronounced to be incurable. On that point there was no mistake.Nevertheless, when pigeons carried to Cairo intelligence of the Frenchking's victory and Fakreddin's defeat, the sultan roused himself toenergy, and, after having sentenced fifty of the principal fugitives toexecution, and taken Fakreddin severely to task for allowing his men tobe vanquished, he caused himself to be removed to Mansourah. On reachingthat city, Melikul Salih expended his remaining strength in rallying hisarmy and strengthening the fortifications, and at the same time sent mento attack the Crusaders in their camp, to kill the Franks and cut offtheir heads,--promising a golden besant for every head brought to him.
The Arab cavalry of the Desert, and bands of horsemen belonging to thatwild nation known as the Karismians, were employed on this service; andthe Crusaders found themselves exposed to dangers against which itseemed impossible to guard. As wild animals prowl around the habitationsof men on the watch for prey, so around the Christian camp prowled theArabs and Karismians by day and by night. If even at noon a soldierwandered from the camp he was lost; and, in hours of darkness, sentinelafter sentinel disappeared, and knight after knight was struck dead, asif by invisible hands. Every morning the Crusaders had to listen to somenew tale of horror which made their blood run cold.
Ere the Arabs and Karismians had carried alarm into the camp of theCrusaders, many of the warriors of the West had begun to suffer from theclimate of Egypt; and among others who were prostrated, was the old Earlof March. For a time he seemed likely to fall a victim to the malady;but the natural vigour of his constitution at length prevailed; and hehad almost recovered, when a sudden inroad of the enemy exposed him to anew peril.
It was the afternoon of an August day; and Earl Patrick was arrayinghimself to ride into Damietta to attend a council of war. His whitecharger stood at the entrance of his pavilion, and there sat WalterEspec, looking somewhat gloomy, as many of the armed pilgrims werealready doing, when Guy Muschamp approached with a countenance fromwhich much of the habitual gaiety had vanished.
'What tidings?' asked Walter, eagerly.
'On my faith, good Walter,' answered Guy, shaking his head, 'I now knowof a truth that this Damietta is not quite such a paradise as we fanciedwhen gazing at it from the sea.'
'Serpents often lurk where flowers grow,' said Walter; 'but what newtidings of mishap have clouded your brow?'
'Nothing less,' replied Guy, 'than that these foul Saracens have beenmarvellously near us. No later than last night they entered the camp,surprised the watch of Lord Courtenay, and this morning his body wasfound on the table; his head was gone.'
'By the saints!' exclaimed Walter, 'such warfare, waged by invisiblefoes, may well daunt the bravest; and albeit I trust much from theprotection of the Holy Katherine, yet I at times feel a vague dread ofbeing the next victim.'
At that moment, and almost ere Walter had spoken, there arose loud andshrill cries, and then loud shouts of alarm.
'By good St. George!' shouted Hugh Bisset, rushing in, 'the Saracens areupon us; they are carrying off the Lord Perron, and his brother the LordDuval. Arm, arm, brave squires. To the rescue! to the rescue!'
As Bisset gave the alarm, the Earl of March came forth. He was arrayedin chain-mail, and his helmet was on his brow.
'What, ho!' cried the earl, with lofty indignation; 'do the sons ofdarkness, who worship Mahound and Termagaunt, venture where my whitelion ramps in his field of red? Out upon them! My axe and shield.'
Mounting his white steed, the earl caused one of the sides of hispavilion to be raised, and issuing forth, spurred against the foe withshouts of 'Let him who loves me follow me! Holy Cross! Holy Cross!' Nordid the aged warrior confine his hostility to words. Encountering theleader of the Saracens face to face, he bravely commenced the attack,and, after a brief conflict, with his heavy axe cleft the infidel fromthe crown almost to the chest.
'Pagan dog!' exclaimed the earl, as the Saracen fell lifeless to theground; 'I devote thine impure soul to the powers of hell.'
But this achievement was the last which Earl Patrick was destined toperform. As he spurred forward to pursue his success, his steed becamerefractory, and he was flung violently to the ground. Ere his friendscould come to his aid, the Saracens gave him several blows with theirclubs, and he would have been killed on the spot but for the arrival ofBisset, with Guy Muschamp and Walter Espec, who, having mounted, nowcame with a rush to the rescue. A sharp conflict then took place. Guy,advancing as gaily as if he had been in the tiltyard at Wark, gallantlyunhorsed one Saracen with the point of his lance. Walter, going moregravely into the combat, killed another with his falchion, at the use ofwhich he was expert. After much trouble the French lords were rescued;and such of the Saracens as had not fallen, fled, and galloped along thebanks of the Nile.
Meanwhile the squires and grooms of the Earl of March raised him fromthe ground; and, supported by them, he contrived to reach his tent; buthe was much bruised, and so exhausted that he could not muster voice tospeak. When, however, surgeons and physicians were called, theyexpressed themselves hopefully, and, not comprehending his dangerousstate, bled him freely in the arm, and then administering a composingdraught, left him under the charge of the squires.
As evening was falling, the Earl of Salisbury, after a long conferencewith King Louis, during which the unfortunate quarrel of the English andFrench Crusaders were discussed with a view of averting fatalconsequences, left the royal quarters, in company with the Lord ofJoinville.
'Seneschal,' said Salisbury, 'I would fain visit the Earl of March; andI pray you to bear me company.'
'Right willingly,' replied Joinville; 'for he is a man of great valourand renown, and wise in council; and it were ill for our expedition ifhis wounds should prove fatal.'
'And how fares the earl?' asked Salisbury, as they reached the tent overwhich ramped that ancient lion argent, so terrible on many a foughtenfield.
'My lord,' said Walter Espec, in a hushed voice, as they came to theentrance, 'the earl sleeps; so pray tread softly, lest you shoulddisturb his repose.'
They did so, and entering, found the earl lying on his mantle ofminever, which covered him.
'He sleeps soundly,' whispered Walter, looking up.
'Boy,' said Salisbury, solemnly, 'he sleeps the sleep that knows nowaking.'
Walter stooped down, and perceived that Salisbury was right. The earlwas dead.
'May paradise be open to him,' said Salisbury, crossing himself withpious fervour.
'Amen,' said Joinville. 'May his soul repose in holy flowers.'
Boy Crusaders: A Story of the Days of Louis IX. Page 14